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Wednesday, April 17, 2013

1880s Autograph Album of Margaret Drain, "Maggie", of Barlow, Ohio

1880s autograph album of Maggie Drain of Barlow, Ohio, collected mostly while she was a student and early in her teaching career.

The album is approximately 7" x 4-1/4" and contains the sentiments of about 100 people, including Maggie herself on a page shared with fellow students, Maggie's relatives, friends and schoolmates. An alphabetical list of the signers appears at the end of this post.Many of Maggie's fellow students were then attending B.N. & C. I., which might have been a Normal School and Institute at Beverly, Ohio. A reader may have a better translation. The montage below, created on 22 July 1887, was signed by several of Maggie's classmates, as well as Maggie herself.

Some of Maggie's students at Barlow, Ohio, had created a montage earlier in February 1887.

Either Maggie had been student teaching in February 1887, or her classmates who signed the top montage in July 1887 were getting together a year or so after their graduation.From online research, hopefully correct: [corrections and additions welcome!]Margaret Drain was born 23 December 1862 at Palmers Settlement, Ohio, in Washington County, the daughter of Scottish immigrants Duncan and Catherine (Greenlees) Drain. Her parents signed the first pages in her album.

Several of Maggie's siblings, cousins and other relatives signed pages in her album. Maggie's younger sister Rosa Drain signed a page at Barlow, Ohio, on 5 February 1887.

Annie Harvey (Drain) Trotter, Maggie's older sister, signed two pages, one of them on 20 January 1887. Her husband Orlando Trotter also signed a page on 20 January 1887.

Maggie's older sister Nettie (Drain) Curtis of Amesville, Ohio signed a page, as did her husband Charles Carey Curtis.

Maggie's older sister Eliza Drain of Barlow, Ohio, signed a page on 12 February 1887.

Many other relatives and in-laws signed pages in Maggie's album; please refer to the list of signers below.Maggie Drain married James Merrill Proctor on 29 May 1895 in Washington County, Ohio. He was born on 13 January 1871 at Barlow, Ohio, son of Joseph H. and Ellen Elizabeth (Seely) Proctor.James didn't sign a page in Maggie's album, but I believe that his older brother Walter S. Proctor did.

Maggie and James farmed and raised a daughter Helen Drain Proctor at Barlow, Ohio. If you have corrections and/or additions to the information above, or information on any of the signers below, please leave a comment or contact me directly. Thanks!Alphabetical list of signers: [Note: given names within a specific surname may not be in alphabetical order.]

Uncle Dave, signed on 10 March 1887

Maggie's cousin Mary E. Drain of Veto, Ohio, signed on 5 October 1887. Not sure of surname, which is very faint, and don't want to jump to conclusion that it is Drain, but it begins with D. The next signer's surname was Deming, which is another possibility, but they lived in different, though nearby, towns.

A friend, signed at Barlow, Ohio, on 22 February 1887

Gertrude, signed at Barlow, Ohio, on 27 May 1890

Nellie Agin, signed at Barlow, Ohio, on 16 October 1887

Maggie M. Barber, signed at Ward, Ohio, on 20 July 1887

Peggy Barber of ?, Ohio; shared a page with B.N. & C.I. classmates on 22 July 1887; Maggie signed as "Marguerite" Drain. "Seven Wonders of the World"

Maggie's cousin Mary E. Drain of Veto, Ohio, signed on 5 October 1887. Not sure of surname, which is very faint, and don't want to jump to conclusion that it is Drain, but it begins with D. The next signer's surname was Deming, which is another possibility, but they lived in different, though nearby, towns.

Rosa Drain, signed at Barlow, Ohio, on 5 February 1887; presumably the Rosa Drain who was Maggie's younger sister

Maggie's cousin Nettie Drain, signed at Centre Belpre, Ohio, on 8 October 1887

Mary Drain, signed on 4 February 1887; possibly the Mary Drain who was Maggie's older sister.

Eliza Drain, signed at Barlow, Ohio, on 12 February 1887; likely the Eliza Drain who was the older sister of Maggie Drain

Bessie R. Fast of Beverly, Ohio, signed on 18 August 1887 [or 10 August 1887]

Anna D. Fast, signed at Beverly, Ohio, on 11 August 1887

"Marna" [?] Fast of Hillside Cottage; shared a page with B.N. & C.I. classmates on 22 July 1887; Maggie signed as "Marguerite" Drain. "Seven Wonders of the World"

"Virginia" Fast and/or "Kitten" Fast of Beverly, Ohio; shared a page with B.N. & C.I. classmates on 22 July 1887; Maggie signed as "Marguerite" Drain. "Seven Wonders of the World"

Mary F. Fast, signed at Beverly, Ohio, on 23 July 1887

Joe Fast, signed at Beverly, Ohio, on 16 June 1887

Mollie Ferguson, signed at Barlow, Ohio, on 21 February 1887

Nelly Glen, signed in July 1887; former schoolmate at Beverly, Ohio

M. Gordon, signed at Barlow, Ohio, on 19 April 1888

Susie Henry, signed at Brown's Mills, Ohio, on 10 October 1887

Jessie M. Hosom of Barlow, Ohio, signed on 21 June 1890

Annie Hunter, signed at Barlow, Ohio, on 26 September [no year written], inscribed "To my Teacher"

Inscribed "To my Teacher" by Sadie Jones, signed at Barlow, Ohio, on 26 September 1888

Maggie Lamb, signed at Barlow, Ohio, signed on 24 September 1888; inscribed "To my Teacher"

Ada Marshall; shared a page with several classmates on 2 February 1887; Maggie Drain was their teacher.

Mary Marshall; shared a page with several classmates on 2 February 1887; Maggie Drain was their teacher.

Alva Marshall; shared a page with several classmates on 2 February 1887; Maggie Drain was their teacher.

George Marshall; shared a page with several classmates on 2 February 1887; Maggie Drain was their teacher.

Frank Marshall; shared a page with several classmates on 2 February 1887; Maggie Drain was their teacher.

Bertha Marshall; shared a page with several classmates on 2 February 1887; Maggie Drain was their teacher.

Sibyl Marshall; shared a page with several classmates on 2 February 1887; Maggie Drain was their teacher.

George Marshall, signed on 2 February 1887; middle initial might be O or Q or ?

Alva Marshall, signed on 2 February 1887

LeRoy V. Martin of Warner, Ohio, signed on 24 August 1887

Lou Ella Matheny, signed at Barlow, Ohio, on 2 May 1890; signed "Your Scholar"

L. G. Matheny, signed 29 May 1890; perhaps the Loring G. Matheny of Barlow, Ohio, listed on the 1890 Census of Union Veterans and Widows of the Civil War